No Longer Science Myth: A Treatment for Gray Hair Actually in the Works

Scientists have finally gotten to the root of gray hair (yes, we went there), so for those unwilling to embrace their inner Helen Mirren, a solution to silver strands—one that doesn't require a trip to the salon every six weeks—could be on the way. It all starts with hydrogen peroxide.

We've known for a long time that an accumulation of this molecule in hair follicles leads to graying by bleaching strands from within. Think about it: Peroxide has been the "bottle" in "bottle blonde" for decades, and it's now the reason you can whiten your teeth several shades without leaving your couch. But peroxide is also what causes hair to turn gray with age—it builds up naturally in hair follicles as the byproduct of everyday chemical reactions. Fortunately, the body produces enzymes that continually break down hydrogen peroxide and preserve the hair's original color. Unfortunately, it produces less of these enzymes as we get older.

Now, scientists in the United Kingdom have made this enzyme, catalase (which splits hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water), the centerpiece of a new topical treatment that reportedly reverses graying. Originally intended for patients with vitiligo, a disorder that bleaches the skin, this treatment also restores normal pigmentation to the hair, according to a study published in the* FASEB Journal.* "Numerous remedies have been concocted to hide gray hair, but for the first time, an actual treatment has been developed," the journal's editor in chief, Gerald Weissmann, said in a press release. Research is still in the preliminary stage, and there's no word on when, or if, this potential miracle of science will actually appear at your drugstore. So for now, it looks like we'll have to stick with our root touch-up kits.